Bottlenose dolphins are still on track to guard Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor's shoreline but spokesman Tom LaPuzza for the Navy Marine Mammal Program in San Diego recently commented they are not prepared to discuss when the animals will be arriving or confirm their presence.

There are plans to also have sea lions at the base but so far no housing for the mammals have been built and according to the Final Environmental Impact Statement prepared for the program there will be a total of no more than 20 marine mammals. Four floating enclosures, 30 feet long by 30 feet wide, will each house up to four dolphins, their water temperature will be kept at a minimum of 52 degrees. The sea lions will have three enclosures of the same size, each of which can accommodate up to six of animals. However what we do know is that the dolphins and sea lions have been selected and trained to carry out their patrolling duties which will include stopping swimmers and divers from infiltrating Bangor via Hood Canal.

Dolphins already patrol other Navy bases, when they find an intruder they swim back to the boat, alert the handler who places a strobe light on the dolphin's nose who then bump the intruder's back, knocking the light off which then floats to the surface, marking the spot. Sea lions carry in their mouths special cuffs attached to long ropes and if they find an intruder they clamp the cuff around the person's leg to be reeled in.

Naval Base Kitsap is the US Navy base located on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington State, its mission is to serve as the home base for the Navy's fleet throughout West Puget Sound and to provide base operating services, including support for both surface ships and nuclear submarines. The Navy tried to bring dolphins to its Bangor site nearly 20 years ago, but a lawsuit required a full environmental assessment before the animals could be used.